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Re: Necessity of a 4th trombone, also baritone scoring

To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Necessity of a 4th trombone, also baritone scoring
From: Alastair Wheeler <alastair@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 23:49:04 +0100 (BST)
In-reply-to: <48481a0fcasaxhorn@gemscore.demon.co.uk>
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On Mon, 18 May 1998, Adrian Drover wrote:

> The baritones have always been an obstacle for me. The most sensible thing
> (to me anyway) is to combine them with the tenors to make a horn quintet.

Agreed!

> I would be much happier with one bari less and one trombone more. With
> this in mind I sometimes split them so that one plays as a 4th horn and
> the other as a 3rd trombone, which is one (nowhere perfect) way of
> simulating a trombone quartet.

I have written a trombone 4tet in a certain Respighi arrangment of mine
like this, not perfect I know.  I think this ruins the 'voice leading' a
bit, as I tried to keep the trombones in good 3 part harmony, so that
baritone gets a few strange jumps.

> > Whilst vaguely on the subject, what are people views on the modern
> > scoring of B1/H2/B2 for a low horn trio?
> 
> That is ideal if you want the baritone sound to predominate, so long as
> you keep the tenor clear of those awkward 1+3 valve combinations, and I
> think better than combining baris and euphs. I often dovetail the tenors
> and baris in a H1-B1-H2-B2 voicing. The solo horn would either be resting,
> or doubling the cornet line, or playing the top line of the horn quintet
> with similar dovetailing.
> 
> A similar voicing to this is occasionally used in the big band to give the
> tenor sax the lead, ie, T1-A2-T2-bari (A1 tacet).    
> 
> > (+)  Do any other bass trombonists out there dislike playing the 5th
> > above the bass in the low register?  I always find it hard to balance,
> > and don't like the way the tone is supported only by the basses.  I'd
> > rather swap with an Eb, then you get more of a ring to the sound... just
> > don't like the scoring, I suppose.
> 
> I'm sure that every bass 'bonist would rather play the bass note (root) in
> preference to the 5th. When the low 5th is required, dividing the tubas
> works well, though more weight should be given to the root, ie, a 1-3
> divisi is better than 2-2. The 2nd euph is also useful for supplying the
> low 5th.

Interestingly, our conductor often rewrites parts like this for a 2/2
divisi, to give that 'ring' to the sound.  I'm going to carry on writing
3/1 (or 1/2/1-woof!)

> Hey Alistair, I think we are beginning to agree on more things now. This
> won't do. Disagreement is much more fun ;-)

Things like spelling? :)

-- 
  Alastair Wheeler	 
  Euphonium & Trombone				   Fundamental Brass
  Bass Trombone				  City of Oxford Brass Band
  alastair@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx	http://www.new.ox.ac.uk/~alastair
  "I am following my fish"


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References:
- Re: Necessity of a 4th trombone, also baritone scoring
  - From: Adrian Drover

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